Wire stretcher



( o Model.)

B. ERBB.

WIRE STRBTGHER.

Patented Apr. 10, 1888.

WITNESSES.-

UNITED STATES PATENT GEEIGE.

BARTI-IEL ERBE, OF PITTSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA.

WlRE-STRETCHER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 380,750, dated April 10, 1888.

Application filed January 21, 1888. Serial No. 261,554.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, BARTHEL ERBE, a citizen of the United States, residing in the city of Pittsburg, Allegheny county, State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in the Construction of Wire- Stretchers for Building \Vire Fences; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, that will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

In putting up wire fences with the stretchers heretofore in use there is more or less difficulty in turning a corner of the fence, and usually this has to be overcome by putting in an extra post, so that the wire may be stretched to and beyond the corner post.

It is the object of my invention to produce a simple and efficient stretcher that, in addition to the usual functions of such implements, will stretch the wire to and past the post to which it is attached, thus enabling the fencebuilder to turn a corner as readily as he can buildastraight line. I accomplish this latter object by means of an extension of the ratchetbar forward of its point of attachment to the post, and the use of a supplemental lever carrying an additional gripping device to take a new hold on theloose end of the wire at apoint where it projects past the corner post.

The construction and operation of my invention will be fully understood by an inspection of the accompanying drawings, which form part of this specification.

Like letters refer to the same parts in both figures.

Figure l is a plan of the complete implement, showing the principal lever in action and the supplemental one notin action. Fig. 2 is a plan of the same, showing the supplementary part connected to the loose end of the wire and ready to be drawn taut, past the post to which the implement is attached, and to which the stretched wire is to be fastened.

A is a flat steel or iron bar with ratchetteeth a to extending along one edge and a smaller number of teeth, d, on the opposite edge of the part shown as projecting beyond the post B, which represents the corner post of a fence. H h is a clevis attached to A, as

(No model.)

shown, to carry the chain 8, by which the machine is attached to the post.

B is a slotted lever, (made of two flat bars,) and slides freely on bar A, which passes through theslot, asshown. Thelink B ,which also slides freely on A, is pivoted in the end of the slotted lever B at 0, its extreme ends projecting past the shouldered rivet 0, so as to form projecting lugs on either side of the pawl B, pivoted in the slotted lever at 0 The link B is pivoted on both sides of lever B, as shown at 0 It has a shouldered rivet at 0, to hold its two sides open, and carries the gripper B pivoted at 0.

The supplemental stretcher consists of the projecting end of bar A, having the teeth d, the lever c, carrying the link a, and the additional gripper c". As with the similar parts previously described, the lever c and the link 0' are each made of two flat bars held at proper distances apart by the rivets p, p, and 10 so that they may move freely on the bar A.

Thus constructed my invention is operated as follows: The implement is attached to any post on the line of fence to be built by a rope or chain, 8. The wire it, being attached to any other post in the line to the left or in the rear of post R, is drawn as taut as may be by hand, and is then secured in any suitable gripping device, B and 13". If, now, lever B is moved to the left, the point of pawl B, resting in the tooth, as at a, will act as a fulcrum, and the short arm of B will be moved to the right, link B will be carried forward, and its rivet 0 will be forced into the tooth a by the pressure of the forward end of B Now if reverse motion be given to lever B, 0 will become the fulcrum, and the pointb of B will be advanced one tooth to the right, when it will again become the fulcrum for another alternate movement. At each movement B and all its adjuncts, including the gripper, are advanced one step to the right, and thus the stretching is continued until itis complete. After securing the wire to the posts in the usual manner the gripper is released and a new position for further operations is taken up, until a corner is to be turned. The apparatus is then attached to the corner post, as at B, and when the wire has been drawn, as shown in Fig. 2,

its free end is secured in the gripper a, and the lever c is swung to the left, which action will draw taut the section of wire between the two grippers, so that it may be properly secured to the post R, the rivet p fallinginto the ratchet-tooth, as at d, and holding the wire taut while it is being fastened to the corner post R.

I know that there are many devices for stretching wire for fences by means of a ratchetbar, pawl, and lever, and I desire to disclaim all such devices, except the particular combination herein described and shown.

What I do claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

The combination, with the ratchet-bar A, having its point of attachment between its ends, of an operating-lever provided with the requisite pawls and grippers on each side of such point, as and for the purpose specified.

BARTHEL ERBE. Y

\Vitn esses:

E. T. EVANS, A. PATTERSON. 

